Silent Night
by DD Agent
Summary: Jenny is putting up the Christmas tree and gets a surprised visit from the man she really wants to see.


**Silent Night by DD Agent**

_I do not own NCIS or any of its characters, or its settings - all belongs to the lovely folks at CBS._

_A little Christmas ficlet to kick off December. Yeah, Jenny has long hair but she looks prettier with it, all right? The story about the Christmas decorations from Germany is one from my family. I'm looking forward to putting those decorations on our tree when I get back home._

_Hope you enjoy, and Happy Holidays!_

It was her first Christmas in Washington DC in eight years and the house was uncharacteristically quiet. The last Christmas she had been in the capital, she had gone over to Ducky's where Jethro had joined them for dinner. They had shared their first kiss under a strand of mistletoe hanging over the porch as it began to snow. It had been a storybook first kiss, and it had taken every part of her not to let him take her home that night.

Now, she was back having Christmas in her old house. She brought out the tree like usual, stood it up in her father's study. That had been where it had stood when she was a child. The presents had been stacked high up on the floor, and the smell of gingerbread had always wafted from the kitchen where her mother had cooked. Another storybook Christmas. Now as Jenny put another bauble on the tree, she realised she had no one to celebrate the holiday with.

Ziva didn't celebrate Christmas, and was going back to Israel for Hanukkah. Ducky's mother had become worse over the years she had been away and the ME had delicately suggested that maybe it would be best if she didn't come over. Stan was working in Naples again, but it would be weird to spend the holidays with him considering she was now his boss. Will was spending the holidays in New York with his new girlfriend and Jenny didn't feel like being a third wheel.

So she was on her own for another holiday. Just like the Christmas before, and the Christmas before that.

Jenny was putting the fairy lights on the tree when there was a knock on her front door. Getting up from the floor of the study, she made her way over to answer it. She hadn't even thought about inviting Jethro over for the holidays, but she knew it would just make things too complicated. Brushing her hands, she opened her front door.

"Hi Jen," came the greeting of the man she had just been thinking about.

She smiled, his timing as remarkable as ever. "Jethro. What are you doing here?"

Her lead agent and former lover grinned and held up a bottle of bourbon in one hand, and a box of fresh gingerbread cookies in another. "Didn't want to spend another weekend before Christmas alone. Can I join you?"

Jenny nodded, curls bouncing on her shoulders. He walked in, handing her the box of gingerbread cookies with a smile. She went off to find two glasses and a plate to put them on while he moved into her father's old study. When she returned, she found him cross legged on the floor.

"Putting up the tree by yourself?"

She nodded. "No one to put it up with. Pretty sad, huh?"

Jethro shrugged as she handed him a glass. "I don't even have a tree. You visiting family for the holidays?"

"No, no family visits."

Jenny joined him in sitting cross legged on the floor. She was quite self conscious that her warm jumper was low cut in the right places, but she knew Jethro wouldn't complain. He was dressed in a casual shirt and jacket, looking very handsome. She tried not to think about that. He was just a friend coming over. Nothing more than that.

"So you'll be in DC on Christmas. On your own," Jethro stated, smiling just a little.

Jenny shook her head, enjoying the teasing lilt to his voice. It had been too long since she had heard that tone. "Jethro…yes, it'll just be me. What, were you planning to rob me?"

He snorted, smiling. He poured them both a glass of bourbon and handed one to her. It slid down warmly, and Jenny ran her tongue over her lips as she watched Jethro drink his own glass. After a moment of silence, Jethro turned to her. "Mind if I put some things on the tree?"

Jenny shook her head. It would be nice to have someone to share that with. She handed him a box of candy canes that he slowly put on the tree. She put the little gifts on the branches, making sure she had them all spaced out. Jethro moved to add the elegant baubles on next, and then a few that looked like she had inherited them. They both reached for the next box at the same time. Jethro brushed her fingers with his, watching her blush.

"What's in here?"

Jenny looked down and realised what they were. "Open them."

Jethro did, and he sighed when he realised what was inside. Jenny tried not to watch him as he looked at the contents, but she couldn't help it. Before their first Christmas in Paris, they had ended up in Berlin. They had walked past a shop selling the most _beautiful _wooden Christmas decorations, and she had fallen in love, remembering long ago Christmases with a wonderful family. On Christmas Eve Jethro had presented a box of them to her as a gift. They had made love in front of the Christmas tree that night.

"Didn't think you would have kept these," Jethro whispered. "May I?"

She nodded, biting her lip as he took the first little drummer boy out of the small paper envelope. They were so delicate. Jenny helped him, putting a little church and then a horse on the tree. When they were up, Jenny turned to the final decoration.

"You want to put the star on?" Jenny asked, passing the elegant gold star to him.

Jethro shook his head. "Your tree. You put the star on."

Jenny smiled and gathered herself up off of the floor. She reached over to the tree and placed it on the top, grinning as it completed the image. She felt rather than saw Jethro stand up and move behind her, his hands stroking her hips. His fingers moved her jumper up, allowing him to stroke her soft skin. She leant back against him and closed her eyes, soon feeling his mouth place a feather light kiss to her neck.

"Think Santa will give me what I want this Christmas?" Jethro asked, whispering in her ear.

She turned her head to him, smiling. "And what do you want for Christmas, Jethro?" She already knew the answer.

"Bigger basement."

Jenny smacked him on the chest and turned around, moving into his arms. He wrapped them around his waist, pressing a kiss to her lips lightly. Jenny beamed up at him, watched as he pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. This had been nice. Sharing a glass of bourbon in front of the Christmas tree, putting _their_decorations on the green branches. Jethro's grip was becoming tighter on her waist, pulling her closer towards him. She knew she should pull back, _knew _it.

She was tired of spending the holidays alone when she could be spending them with him.

The fire crackled behind them as Jenny pressed her lips back to his. Jethro's hands moved into her red curls, softly stroking her skin. His lips were everything like she remembered; the taste of bourbon on them almost homely. Jenny moaned slightly as his tongue pressed against her lips, wanting her to open to him. Smiling, she opened her mouth and kissed him harder, wanting to feel him against her, wanting to taste him once more.

Breaking apart, Jenny looked up and smiled at him. She hadn't seen him smile so bright in a long time. Stroking his cheek and moving her fingers over his lips, Jenny whispered, "What are you doing for Christmas, Jethro?"

He smirked, a glint coming into his eye. "You. Hopefully."

The smack to his chest was audible in the study. But Jenny was laughing as Jethro managed to wrestle her to the ground in front of the tree. On top, he smoothed the hair away from her face before kissing her again. Another storybook moment. They deserved one.


End file.
